Water-motor



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. J. KUEHN. WATER MOTOR.

No. 425,806. Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

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(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. J. KUEHN.

WATER MOTOR.

N0. 425,806. Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

Aj/ I72 rsnfar UNITED STATES PATENT O FICE.

ALBERT J. KUEHN, OF DELHI, OHIO.

WATER-MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,806, dated April 15, 1890.

Application filed March 15, 1889- Serial No. 303,452. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT J. KUEHN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Delhi, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVater-Motors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to hydraulic motors of that class in which an endless revolving belt or chain is employed in connection with a series of brackets or buckets which are suitably attached to said belt or chain, and which brackets or buckets are carried down by waterfalling upon them. By this means the endless belt is constantly kept in motion, and passing over a drum imparts a rotary motion to said drum, which is transmitted to any kind of machinery by suitable gearing mechanism.

My improvements consist in constructing the body of the motor in such a manner as to dispense with the use of screws, nails, and the like, making what I may term a knockdown fiume or penstock.

They further consist in the employment of an auxiliary fiuine or penstock, which may be elevated in case backwater is present, thus not interrupting the working of the motor.

They further consist in the peculiar construction of the endless belt and the brackets or buckets on which the water falls.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure l is a side view of my improved water-motor. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the motor, shown in Fig. 1, the parts, however, being made to assome the position taken by them when the auxiliary flume is elevated to avoid back water. Fig. 3 is a front view of part of the endless belt and showing the manner of connecting the brackets to it. Fig. 4 is a view of a modified form of the endless belt, a rope being employed; and Fig. 5 is a view of part 'of one of the wooden sides of the fiume or penstock, showing the manner in which the front and back pieces are connected thereto. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of my improved water-motor.

The side pieces A of the fiume or penstock are preferably made of wood, and of the shape shown in Fig. 5, with creased or rabbeted edges, into which creases the turned edges of the front and back pieces A fit snugly and tightly. These front and back pieces are preferably made of galvanized iron. At the bottom these side piecesA and the back piece A are fastened together by band-piece A which passes around them and is fastened at its edges by fitting into the creases in the edges of the side pieces A. This band-piece A is fastened to the foundation A of the device in any suitable manner. pieces A and the front and back pieces A are held together by a cap-piece B slipped over and around them. The forebay B is made of any preferred shape, and is connected to the cap-piece B in any suitable manner. I may when desired form the cappiece B and the forebay B of one and the same piece. The cap-piece B, forebay B, and band-piece A are made of any suitable materiahpreferably of galvanized iron. Near the middle of the fiume I slip on the center band-piece B made preferably of galvanized iron. It will be seen that the side, front, and back pieces and the various bandpieces and the forebay can be easily taken apart and shipped, and easily and quickly set up, making this part a knockdown device. If desired, I may bolt these various parts together, preferring, however, to connect them as specified.

The forebay has extending from it two arms 0, to which I suitably connect two supportingbars C. These bars may be of any peculiar shape and size, and connected together in any suitable manner. At the bottom these bars are preferably connected to the ears C In these supporting-bars 0, near the top, is suitably journaled on a shaft 0 the drum D. In

- the .ears 0 is suitably journaled a small friction-roller D.

The supportingiece D passes under the cap-piece 13, down under the centerband-piece B then up behind the roller D as shown in Fig. 2, where it is formed or split into three pieces that is to say, into the center piece E and side pieces E. The side pieces E are bent around the shaft on which the frictionroller is connected, (see dotted lines, Fig. 2,) and consequently support the friction-roller D, so that it need not be journaled in the pieces 0, and is therefore at all times free to be pressed outward by exerting pressure on the supporting-piece D (which supporting- At the top the side.

piece carries at its upper end the roller D) through the agency of the projection W? of the lever W. When pressure is removed, the spring-support D and roller will again assume their normal position.

The endless belt F is preferably made of galvanized iron. At proper intervals on said belt are connected the brackets or buckets F in any suitable manner; preferably, however, the belt F is passed through slots F (see Fig. 3) in the back piece F of the bracket F. WVhen desired, I may pass the ferrules G around said back piece F of the brackets, to keep the beltFfrom slipping and to strengthen the bracket. The top piece G of the bracket F is also preferably formed as shown,

' and is hingedin any suitable manner to the back piece F preferably by a flexible hinge a. The piece F is prevented from dropping or falling down by the bracket-arm H, formed as shown, and is connected in any suitable manner to the top piece G. A fiat spring H, connected in any suitable manner to the back piece F holds the top piece G in proper position. Instead of. the belt, I may use ropes H (see Fig. 4,) which are passed through slots, as shown inFig. 4.

The belt F passes over the drum D, suitably journaled, as shown, and in the present instance under two drums K K, as shown. It may, however, pass under only one drum. By passing the belt under one drum and using the concave K a perfect motor would be formed-that is, using the same in connection with the parts heretofore set forth; and

when used for domestic purposes, as running a small engine, dynamo, or the like, where the water is provided from a water-main or the i like, this is all I use or need use.

The remainder of the device is peculiarly formed to make it operative in case backwater is present where the flume or penstock is located I shall now describe said mechanism.

I provide a guide-piece L on each side of the device, cut away at L to form a bearingsurface for the journal of the drum K when not elevated. (See Fig.1.) I also provide an auxiliary flume or frame M, form ed, as shown, of front piece M, back piece M which are connected by side pieces M which can be seen in Fig. 1 through the slot N. This sliding frame or auxiliary fiume M' is also pref-.

links and shafts connect the drums and support them, and are loosely connected at their various points of connection.

R represents a supporting-piece formed of one piece of metal) At B. it is hooked over being connected to the sliding piece M at T.

,(See Fig. 1.) v The rod S passes through an eye T, which supports and guides said rod. This construction and the arms, &c., for holding and supporting the drums are similar on both sides of the fiulne, except that there is only one handle to the lever S. When the lever S is pulled backward, it raises the extensions S and the rods S being attached thereto, said rods are elevated or pulled up ward in the slot N, and the lower ends of said rods, being rigidly attached to the sliding frame or auxiliary flume M, pull it upward in their movement. When the sliding frame M moves upward, the drums K and K,

being journaled therein, move upward with it, and the arms N P and P are forced out-.

ward, forcing the drum K, and consequently a' I thus escaping the backwater. When it is desired to lower this mechanism just described, the lever S is pushed back into its normal position and the parts are lowered.

When the belt F becomes slack, I tighten it in the following manner: In the lower end of the supporting-arms 0,1 hang the frictionroller D, heretofore referred to. I also provide a peculiarly-shaped hand-lever W, (see Fig. 1,) which passes through the ears 0 and is journaled therein. It is bent upward, as shown at W in Fig. 2. When the belt is slack, the lever W is pulled upward and forward, thus bringing the projection W of the lever against the spring supporting-piece'D carrying at its upper end the roller D, thus forcing said roller against the belt, forcing the belt outward slightly, thus-makin g it taut. hen the lever is brought back, the roller is brought back off the belt as the pressure in the spring supporting-piece D which carries said roller, is removechand it finds its normal position.

A side view of the lever W is shown in Fig. 1. It is journaled in the supportingpieces 0 passing through said supportingpieces. Between said supporting-pieces it is bent upward at an angle to form the projection W (see Fig. 2;) consequently when the lever is moved upward the projection W will move downward and outward and against the spring supporting-piece D The operation is very simple and can be readily understood from the foregoing description. bayB, passing thence into the 'fiume or pen- The water passes into the fore-'- stock, and in passing into said flume the water falls upon the brackets or buckets F, and said buckets fitting tightly and snugly in said fiume they are forced downward, imparting motion to the belt F, and said belt passing over drum D imparts a rotary motion to said drum, which motion is transmitted by suitable gearing to any kind of machinery to be operated. The brackets being hinged, as shown, should any obstruction pass by chance into the fiume they will give and allow the obstruction to pass. WVhen backwater is present, the auxiliary flume M may be raised, as before specified. When raised, the device appears as shown in Fig. 2. Other means than those herein specified may be employed'in raising and lowering said auxiliary flume, and I may also slightly alter the other constructions. The drums, when a metal belt is used, are preferably covered with rubber or leather or similar substance. The drum K is preferably slightly weighted, so that it will fall outward more readily when elevated.

What I claim as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a water-motor, a flume, brackets, and drums, in combination with a belt, as F, made of galvanized iron, passing through slots in the brackets, substantially as set forth.

2. In a Water-motor, a fiuine composed of wooden sides, creased toreceive the flanges on the front and back pieces, and drums D and K, over which passes belt F, having the peculiar-shaped brackets F, said belt F passing through slots in said brackets, as shown, 5 substantially as set forth.

3. In a water-motor, a fiume, in combination with an auxiliary sliding flume or frame, drums K and K, drum D, drums K and K moving upward and downward with said auxiliary flume, and lever S, substantially as set forth.

ALBERT J. KUEHN. Attest:

CHAS. WUEsT, JNo. W. STREI-ILI. 

